Mary

A small freehold property in West Blatchington called Lewkenors Croft (fn. 23) probably originated in the land at Blatchington given by Richard the Archdeacon to the monks of Lewes, (fn. 24) and later part of the priors' manor of Falmer. (fn. 25) It appears to have been leased before the end of the 15th century to the Scrase family, and afterwards became their property. (fn. 26) Richard Scrase of Hangleton in 1500 left to his son Richard the manor of Blatchington and such store of corn, &c., and such stock as he would need 'to mayntene his housholdrye there'. (fn. 27) Presumably he had a From Victoria County History "A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 7: The Rape of Lewes A small freehold property in West Blatchington called Lewkenors Croft probably originated in the land at Blatchington given by Richard the Archdeacon to the monks of Lewes, and later part of the priors' manor of Falmer. It appears to have been leased before the end of the 15th century to the Scrase family, and afterwards became their property. Richard Scrase of Hangleton in 1500 left to his son Richard the manor of Blatchington and such store of corn, &c., and such stock as he would need 'to mayntene his housholdrye there'. Presumably he had a lease of Blatchington Wayvill Manor, and on 4 November 1529 George, Lord Bergavenny, granted a lease of it for 57 years to the son, Richard Scrase, who in 1534 was holding the prior's estate at Blatchington. Richard died in 1549, and his widow Mary in 1552. His son Edward also had a lease of the manor from Lord Bergavenny, but when he died in 1576, his son Richard being a minor, Edward Covert, the overseer of his will, by misrepresentations obtained in 1583 a new lease for three lives. Richard Scrase on attaining his majority recovered possession. He died in 1625, his son Tuppen Scrase in 1633, and his grandson Richard in 1634. Tuppen had other sons but West Blatchington seems to have passed to his younger brother Henry Scrase, who died in 1641 leaving a widow, Joan, who continued to live there with her sons. They suffered for their faith as Quakers and were repeatedly imprisoned. Members of the Scrase family continued as tenants of Blatchington Manor, until the tenancy passed by marriage to the Hodsons, Mrs. Hodson, the tenant in 1830, being the granddaughter of a Scrase. The family were still tenants as late as 1882.